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Hard Hiking Trails near Luzern

48 routes near Luzern qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 27.1 km and 892 m (2,927 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 115 km.

That is 31 percent of the 155 routes we map near Luzern. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 27.1 km against 11.3 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 892 m (2,927 ft) on average versus 353 m (1,158 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Vista de los alrededores de la comuna de Romoos, en el Cantón de Lucerna (Suiza).
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
16.9 km
/ 10.5 mi
Elevation gain
256 m
Typical duration
3 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Der Triftgletscher beim Susten vom Balmeregghorn gesehen
Hard

Via Alpina

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
22.1 km
/ 13.8 mi
Elevation gain
531 m
Typical duration
5 hr 38 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
View from Surenen Pass in the Urner Alps, looking eastwards
Expert

Via Alpina

Obwalden · Switzerland

Distance
29.5 km
/ 18.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,304 m
Typical duration
8 hr 32 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Bellevue; 1,148 m; Gottschalkenberg; Zug; Switzerland; View of the Lake of Zuerich.
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
18.7 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
776 m
Typical duration
5 hr 11 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
D71_9277_DxO
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
29.0 km
/ 18.0 mi
Elevation gain
572 m
Typical duration
7 hr 19 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Glaubenbielenpass at Giswil OW, Switzerland, with summit sign "Glaubenbielen Passhöhe 1611 m"
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
18.4 km
/ 11.4 mi
Elevation gain
648 m
Typical duration
4 hr 54 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Trüebsee
Hard

Via Alpina

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
12.3 km
/ 7.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,371 m
Typical duration
4 hr 37 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Foto taken at Nüsellstock, North East view: Nüsellstock (1,479 m), Sihlsee (lake, 872 m), Säntis (2,502 m)
Hard

ViaJacobi

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
19.1 km
/ 11.9 mi
Elevation gain
621 m
Typical duration
5 hr 2 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Gnomes and Homes
Expert

Grenzpfad Napfbergland

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
115 km
/ 71.5 mi
Elevation gain
3,219 m
Typical duration
31 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Tunnel portall of the Zentralbahn in the lower Aa gorge. On the right handside the old, snow-covered trail.
Expert

Nidwaldner Höhenweg

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
93.3 km
/ 57.9 mi
Elevation gain
4,646 m
Typical duration
28 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Giswil railway station , view to southwest.
Expert

Obwaldner Höhenweg

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
98.3 km
/ 61.1 mi
Elevation gain
4,088 m
Typical duration
29 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Schrattenfluh, Entlebuch region, Switzerland
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
19.1 km
/ 11.9 mi
Elevation gain
467 m
Typical duration
4 hr 48 min
  • Waymarked route
Landscape in southern part of lake Sarnen in Canton of Obwalden, Switzerland
Hard

ViaJacobi

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
23.3 km
/ 14.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,025 m
Typical duration
6 hr 39 min
  • Waymarked route
Etzelpass in Switzerland as seen from towards Etzel , Einsiedeln and Sihlsee in the background.
Hard

ViaJacobi

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
16.6 km
/ 10.3 mi
Elevation gain
676 m
Typical duration
4 hr 31 min
  • Waymarked route
Bauen UR
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
23.2 km
/ 14.4 mi
Elevation gain
618 m
Typical duration
6 hr
  • Waymarked route
View from Arni to Chli Windgällen (2986m, in front) and the Groß Windgällen (3188m, behind) in the Canton of Uri/Switzerland
Hard

ViaGottardo

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
27.8 km
/ 17.3 mi
Elevation gain
875 m
Typical duration
7 hr 30 min
  • Waymarked route
Brunnen Ennetmoos Kirche St. Jakob(Nidwalden)
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
16.6 km
/ 10.3 mi
Elevation gain
393 m
Typical duration
4 hr 5 min
  • Waymarked route
View of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland near the town of Beckenried .
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
20.5 km
/ 12.7 mi
Elevation gain
419 m
Typical duration
5 hr 3 min
  • Waymarked route
Blick auf Gersau, Kanton Schwyz.
Hard

ViaJacobi

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
30.4 km
/ 18.9 mi
Elevation gain
732 m
Typical duration
7 hr 54 min
  • Waymarked route
Brunnen Ennetmoos Kirche St. Jakob(Nidwalden)
Hard

ViaJacobi

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
16.6 km
/ 10.3 mi
Elevation gain
381 m
Typical duration
4 hr 5 min
  • Waymarked route
Bünzer Moos: Blick vom Forenmoos Richtung Murimoos mit Lindenberg (Schweiz) im Hintergrund
Expert

Freiämterweg Talroute

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
62.6 km
/ 38.9 mi
Elevation gain
803 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hüswil railway station at the Lucerne - Huttwil line
Hard

ViaJacobi

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
16.1 km
/ 10.0 mi
Elevation gain
296 m
Typical duration
3 hr 51 min
  • Waymarked route
Inschrift über dem Portal zur Wallfahrtskapelle St. Jost, Blatten (Gemeinde Malters, LU)
Hard

ViaJacobi

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
19.0 km
/ 11.8 mi
Elevation gain
483 m
Typical duration
4 hr 48 min
  • Waymarked route
Aerial view of Buttwil Airfield taken from a Helicopter
Expert

Freiämterweg Bergroute

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
52.9 km
/ 32.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,000 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn train type Be 4/8 at the Bibenlos-Sonnenhof stop
Expert

Freiämterweg Ostroute

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
58.0 km
/ 36.1 mi
Elevation gain
886 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Kurzenhütten Road Bridge over the Waldemme River, Fluehli, Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland
Hard

Emmenuferweg - Etappe 2

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
18.6 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
123 m
Typical duration
4 hr 10 min
  • Waymarked route
Malters von Schwarzenberg aus gesehen
Hard

Emmenuferweg - Etappe 4

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
19.1 km
/ 11.9 mi
Elevation gain
151 m
Typical duration
4 hr 20 min
  • Waymarked route
Hallwiler See in den Kantonen Aargau und Luzern, Schweiz
Hard

Rundgang Hallwilersee

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
21.2 km
/ 13.2 mi
Elevation gain
93 m
Typical duration
4 hr 44 min
  • Waymarked route
Borne de distance «Stundenstein» du XIXème siècle en kilomètres depuis l’Hôtel de Ville de Lucerne. 35km de Lucerne sur la route Luzern-Sursee-Zofingen (ancienne route vers Bâle).
Hard

ViaGottardo

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
25.7 km
/ 16.0 mi
Elevation gain
568 m
Typical duration
6 hr 32 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Via Gottardo

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
29.4 km
/ 18.3 mi
Elevation gain
347 m
Typical duration
7 hr 5 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Panoramaweg Aegerital

Zug · Switzerland

Distance
30.5 km
/ 19.0 mi
Elevation gain
671 m
Typical duration
7 hr 50 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Ämtlerwäg

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
50.3 km
/ 31.2 mi
Elevation gain
832 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Saumweg

Zug · Switzerland

Distance
17.5 km
/ 10.9 mi
Elevation gain
396 m
Typical duration
4 hr 19 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaBerna Etappe 18

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
18.6 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,500 m
Typical duration
6 hr 14 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaBerna Etappe 20

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
9.9 km
/ 6.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,150 m
Typical duration
3 hr 47 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSuworow

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
27.7 km
/ 17.2 mi
Elevation gain
610 m
Typical duration
7 hr 4 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSuworow

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
9.8 km
/ 6.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,250 m
Typical duration
3 hr 55 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSuworow

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
14.6 km
/ 9.1 mi
Elevation gain
500 m
Typical duration
3 hr 48 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Waldstätterweg - Etappe 1

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
14.8 km
/ 9.2 mi
Elevation gain
740 m
Typical duration
4 hr 12 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Waldstätterweg - Etappe 2

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
18.7 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
800 m
Typical duration
5 hr 12 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Waldstätterweg - Etappe 3

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
17.0 km
/ 10.6 mi
Elevation gain
420 m
Typical duration
4 hr 14 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Waldstätterweg - Etappe 4

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
21.1 km
/ 13.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,000 m
Typical duration
6 hr 5 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Waldstätterweg - Etappe 5

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
15.4 km
/ 9.6 mi
Elevation gain
900 m
Typical duration
4 hr 35 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Waldstätterweg - Etappe 7

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
13.4 km
/ 8.3 mi
Elevation gain
680 m
Typical duration
3 hr 49 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Weg der Schweiz

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
9.4 km
/ 5.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,500 m
Typical duration
4 hr 12 min
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Alpine Panorama TrailBern16.9 km256 m3 hr 58 minHardApril to October
Via AlpinaBern22.1 km531 m5 hr 38 minHardJune to October
Via AlpinaObwalden29.5 km1,304 m8 hr 32 minExpertJune to October
Alpine Panorama TrailSchwyz18.7 km776 m5 hr 11 minHardApril to October
Alpine Panorama TrailLucerne29.0 km572 m7 hr 19 minHardApril to October
Trans Swiss TrailLucerne18.4 km648 m4 hr 54 minHardJune to October
Via AlpinaBern12.3 km1,371 m4 hr 37 minHardJune to October
ViaJacobiSchwyz19.1 km621 m5 hr 2 minHardApril to October
Grenzpfad NapfberglandBern115 km3,219 m31 hrExpertJune to October
Nidwaldner HöhenwegBern93.3 km4,646 m28 hrExpertJune to October

If you only have time for one, start with Alpine Panorama Trail, Via Alpina, Via Alpina. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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